Riha had today morning shifted to Shruti's place. And she took a day off today. Surya Enclave was beautiful, and she discovered that it had enough green to soothe her heart and mind for the next few days.
Shruti and her mom welcomed her king sized. Aunty was love! Riha hugged her tight and handed onto her a bag full of pickles and handmade sweets and chutneys and what not Riha's mom had sent along. The thing was the Agarwal's used to stay at Riha's colony a long time back. And both the families were in great terms.
Shruti too had delayed her call time for the day, and the two of them were now at the verandah discussing life.
Riha noticed a glow on Shruti's face and she looked happier. Before she decided to finally ask, Shruti herself broke the thing.
" I'm getting engaged once dad returns." , she said, blushing.
" Whaaat??? Congratulations Shruuu!!!!!"
For the next five minutes the two of them hugged and danced and laughed.
" Virat has always been a friend. But he proposed to me finally, and I was happy. Indeed, I am happy after a very long time. "
Shruti declared.
" so ..the matter that was concerning you that day finally resolved. ", Riha winked.
" yeah...maybe. After Viraat proposed to me, I realised, that I could be extremely happy even. I had for a long time run after something vague, but finally I could reach a destination which is way more beautiful than the one I was opting for... maybe...so..."
A long silence prevailed. Riha was trying to judge Shruti. But she didn't know whether she should dig into the matter. She finally decided to drop it.
" ...whatever, a happy ending is what is desired."
" exactly. " , both smiled.
After a lot of discussions about childhood assets and adulthood liabilities, Riha suddenly asked, " do you know every resident of Surya Enclave? "
" almost. "
" okay...so...do you know someone named Vivaan? I don't know the surname though..."
Riha noticed the colour on Shruti's face vanished immediately. Riha got puzzled.
" ...yeah. He stays downstairs. "
" ohh...this tower itself? "
" hmm. Why? "
Riha was surprised that Shruti had suddenly turned stoner.
" err...actually I met him accidentally... and he's a weird human. Do you know him?"
Shruti went over to the railings of the verandah from the easy chairs they laid on. She stared outside for long.
And then looked back at her.
" I do."
" Ohhkay!! That sounds great! Does he talk to you? Actually he's a typical personality and I would surely like to dig into him you know! Just as a matter of fact. Could you help? "
" No. I am trying to close a useless chapter of my life. Please don't insist on me to reread it again. " Shruti went inside.
And Riha was not the kind to let things go so easily.
For the next couple of hours, Riha dived into Shruti's unlooked upon world, who wasn't actually ready to open up, but there were really very few individuals on earth who could say a no to Riha.
" Vivaan walked in as a neighbour a year or so ago. I met him at the gym, in lifts and...and... if you have seen him, you will know he's quite attractive a man. Eventually, I discovered that he availed the same bus I did, and so I myself began talking to him. And he did too. Quite well. And then as time passed
... you know what Riha? I cannot detail to you how Vivaan became what Vivaan became to me. Because maybe that's something unexplainable, inexplicable. I have seen him talk to dogs, crows and trees, I have seen him guide the oldest couple down the road, I've seen him run to strangers to help, I've seen him hand a 500 rupee note to a blind beggar, I've seen him give his newly bought pair of shoes to a mentally retarded vagabond just because he could see his feet bleed, I've seen him drench in rain, and play his guitar at the highest chord, I've seen him laugh out loud and hug my mom...but I've never seen him cry, and I have never seen him in a crowd, I've never seen him befriending people. Yes he talked to me, and I had seen his shades and colours, but that's all. Never did he ever speak about his past to me, a past that secluded him from the knowns and made him talk to strangers, and leave them as strangers only.
Vivaan might have never loved me, never befriended me even to share anything about where he came from, where he belonged to... I only knew from a painting on the wall that he had never seen his mother.
Nevertheless I fell for him, much, and I didn't think twice before sharing that to him. And that loosened it all. Vivaan drifted apart, so much so that he made it very clear, that he didn't want me in his life. Maybe because he could never give me what I wanted.
It will be a lie if I say I have moved on, but will be a lie too if I say I haven't. I will never return to 2D. Not only because Viraat is a great person, but also because, I do have something called self respect. And holding onto water, and sand, and Vivaan isn't possible. They feel good on your palm, for a while, but escape too quickly. They are far from what you call, 'forevers.'"
Deep down Riha sighed, " but the ocean is forever. The desert is forever. "
*****
It was 6 in the evening and Riha was standing before 2D. The nameplate read " Vivaan " . Without a surname. Explainable.
A self made man didn't really need surnames.
Anyone else would have not taken a step forward to this door, because there wasn't anything much behind this door.
A man whose classmate himself warned others to not find a path to him, a man who looked like a heartbreaker...but nothing could really stop Dr Riha Menon. Because she hardly cared warnings. She would do anything that felt good. And Vivaan felt good. From day one.
And hence she pressed the doorbell.
The door opened after 10 seconds.
Vivaan stood with his right brow raised and Riha stood confused whether to smile.
" What!!!! " , Vivaan exclaimed.
" What??" , Riha uttered the same word but with a command.
" You followed me home? Looks like you have a taste for strangers and wrong routes. Welcome please. " , Vivaan gestured her to get in.
Riha quickly did and felt a bit happy too. " Not at all Mister! I'm staying at Shruti's place upstairs. Just came to know you stay here. " , Riha looked around the well decorated drawing room.
" Shruti Agarwal? " , Vivaan said as he placed the cushions straight. Riha noticed he was in a gym suit.
" Exactly. Shruti Agarwal. The girl who had a crush on you. "
This was Riha's problems. She hardly could keep things to herself. It was like she was always in a spree to show how much she knew.
Vivaan had by then gone to the dinner table and started preparing some shake. He gestured Riha to sit. And she noticed her words had zero impact on him.
" protein shake. Will you have? " Vivaan smiled.
" You had been to the gym I suppose. I hadn't. ", Riha grinned.
" mmm...cold drinks?"
" yeah sure!"
" I thought you were a doctor. " Vivaan went inside the kitchen.
Riha springed up. What an insult! She walked straight to the kitchen door. " huh! Doctors drink alcohol too!"
" and advice others to not drench in the rain. " , Vivaan smirked.
Riha smiled with her tongue out a little as he handed him a cup of hot coffee instead. She sipped. " Wow! Coffee maker? "
Vivaan pursed his lips. And then showed his hands. " yes."
" hawww! You brew coffee so well!!! "
Vivaan sat on a single sofa with his protein shake. Riha went and sat in the opposite. " Who keeps the house so beautiful? Your maid? "
" uhu. I don't have one. "
" What? Who does your daily chores? "
" who does yours?"
" Mamma, and maid. ", Riha twisted her lips.
" good enough. Women should actually not do daily chores till they get married."
".err...why?"
" because after that they are expected to do everything for others too. But I advice you. Marry a man who doesn't depend on others for food and clothes. He won't ever hold you responsible if he cannot find his socks. "
Riha laughed out loud.
" I heard you don't talk much. But what's this? "
" You heard? "
" Yes! From Raajiv and Shruti. "
" Why the f**k now was I the matter of discussion?"
" errr... maybe because you are sexy. " Riha grinned again.
Vivaan stared. " Then why didn't I talk to them about you? "
Riha was searching for an answer. Vivaan gave it himself. " I see. Maybe you are not. "
Riha's jaw dropped. " How could you...insult me sooo much! "
Vivaan was laughing out loud. Riha immediately threw a cushion in hand to him.
" ohoohoo madam! Please don't destroy my decor. I was absolutely kidding. You are hot af and I'm dead!"
Riha wanted to kill him. But deep down she felt a cute satisfaction. How could Vivaan talk to her so dearly? He didn't even know her! Was that just because, as Shruti said, she was a stranger?
Vivaan had walked upto the bedroom asking her to sit, to change. And Riha watched the house. Pieces of antiques made the place look ethnic. The man really had taste.
" Vivaan, you said that day, you live both with your parents and alone!" , Riha pretended unaware of everything as Vivaan walked in.
He smiled. " Don't tell me that you heard things about me and you yet don't know the issue. "
Riha withdrew immediately. This wasn't the time enough.
" And one more thing Riha. You may hear things about people, like someone's rude, someone's shy, someone doesn't talk. But remember, behind every attribute, there's a reason, a story. Some people compromise to break images. I don't . "
Riha couldn't just say much.
" I gotta go to the market. Some other time maybe? "
Riha made a sad puppy face. But she knew, reacting or just letting it be weren't the ways.
" That was rude. "
" Maybe Ms Doctor. I wasn't born to make people happy. "
Riha stood still for sometime. And then slowly walked straight close to Vivaan. Vivaan's smile suddenly disappeared and his posture stiffened, his brows curved. Close enough, Riha uttered, " I will return Mr Vivaan. Because, I too do whatever I wish to, neither was I born to make you happy. "
Vivaan stared still as Riha left 2D.
++++++++++++++
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Picture edit credit : Uploader